With fluctuating workloads, a wide variety of packaging requirements and limited space – a modern end-of-line solution must be capable of meeting two important demands – versatility and reliability. Mosca will present a live demonstration of such a solution at FachPack 2022 (Hall 3C, Stand 312).
A setup consisting of a Mosca KZV-321 strapping machine, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) system supplied by Gebhardt Intralogistics, a pallet doubler and the Saturn S-6 stretch wrapper from Mosca’s Movitec brand secures pallets for transport or storage. Depending on the requirements, the pallet to be secured passes flexibly through the four stations. Manual processes, such as doubling pallets, are no longer necessary.
Many process steps at the end of a packaging line still take place manually. Operators bring pallets to the packaging machines, stack them and secure them manually. This practice is not only unergonomic and strenuous for employees, but it is also vulnerable. When pallets are not precisely stacked on top, the load becomes unstable, and the products on top can be damaged during transport or storage.
These processes also tie up workers who could be handling more important tasks. This is crucial when there’s a shortage of skilled workers and high sick-leave rates resulting, for example, from the coronavirus pandemic. A fully automated system like the one Mosca is demonstrating at FachPack 2022 offers a viable solution.
Timo Mosca explains, “Our conversations with customers in recent months have shown a significant increase in the demand for fully automated end-of-line systems. These highly versatile solutions become all the more appealing when there’s a shortage of workers because they offer manufacturers much more plannability and reliability with higher throughput rates.”
Open concept for a wide variety of products at Mosca stand in the event
In the Mosca live demonstration, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) supplied by Gebhardt, a Mosca affiliate, transport palletized products through several handling stations. The individual pallets are first strapped vertically by a Mosca KZV-321. This fully automatic strapping machine can be equipped with up to six strap lances at three different heights to strap up to 65 single or double pallets in an hour. An integrated turntable allows the pallets to be cross strapped for additional stability before the Karis AGV transports them to the Movitec pallet doubler. This unit lifts pallets with a maximum weight of up to 2000 kilograms and sets them down again after a second pallet has been inserted. Up to 70 individual pallets can be doubled in an hour.
The AGV on the exhibition display stand conveys the double pallet again into the KZV-321, which straps the pallets into a bundled load. The strap is inserted through the pallet deck boards to keep it from touching the products. This allows the machine to use a higher strap tension for an extremely secure bond without damage. The AGV then transports the double pallet to the Saturn S6 ring wrapper, which wraps it with a top sheet to protect it from moisture, dust or other external influences. The stretch wrapper processes up to 120 pallets in an hour.
“The system we are presenting at FachPack exemplifies the maximum expansion level,” explains Christian Zwieb, Mosca Engineering sales manager. “But first and foremost, we want to show transport security options for all companies working with pallets. The system includes strapping, for which Mosca is best known, along with stretch wrapping and combined solutions. In principle, every Mosca strapping machine from class 2 upwards can be integrated into a fully automated system. This also applies to stretch wrappers from Mosca’s Movitec brand.”
